A 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL DISAPPEARS.
A MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE.
WHERE'S MY CHILD?
POLICE SUSPECT SHE'S RUN AWAY
TO BE WITH THE BOY SHE LOVES.
ALL WE WERE WANTING TO DO WAS LOCATE HER.
UNTIL THEY UNEARTH VIDEO SURVEILLANCE...
ALL OF US IN THERE ARE JUST IN DISBELIEF
AT WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
...THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES.
AND FINALLY REVEALS
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO ELIZABETH ENNEN.
A PICTURE HAS A THOUSAND WORDS.
JANUARY 4, 2011, LUBBOCK, TEXAS.
MOM?
IT'S JUST A NORMAL TUESDAY NIGHT
FOR 15-YEAR-OLD ELIZABETH ENNEN
AND HER MOM, VIRGINIA.
ELIZABETH IS HEADING OUT
TO BABYSIT FOR THE ENNENS' FRIENDS,
THE SALINAS FAMILY.
THEY'RE STAYING TEMPORARILY IN A NEARBY MOTEL
WHILE THEY LOOK FOR A NEW HOME.
I'D STARTED LETTING HER GO OVER THERE
AND HAVE A LITTLE MORE RESPONSIBILITIES.
SAY HI TO BERT AND THE GIRLS FOR ME.
I WILL.
THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
IS PLANNING TO USE HER BABYSITTING MONEY
TO BUY A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR HER OLDER BROTHER.
SHE WAS WANTING TO GET HIM SOMETHING SPECIAL.
ELIZABETH WAS DUE HOME
FROM BABYSITTING AROUND MIDNIGHT.
GOT TO BE AROUND 1:30.
I STARTED GETTING CONCERNED.
THERE WAS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE ELIZABETH COMING HOME.
ELIZABETH'S BROTHER KEVIN GOES TO OPEN THE DOOR.
HEY, THERE.
INSTEAD OF HER DAUGHTER AT THE DOOR,
IT'S BERT SALINAS,
THE MAN WHOSE CHILDREN ELIZABETH WAS BABYSITTING.
I'M JUST DROPPING OFF ELIZABETH'S PURSE.
SHE JUST FORGOT IT.
HE TELLS VIRGINIA THAT HE'S THERE
TO RETURN ELIZABETH'S PURSE.
YEAH, DROPPED HER OFF AT THE SIDE DOOR.
SHE'S NOT HERE.
I WAS LIKE, "WAIT, SHE'S NOT HERE.
SHE WAS WITH YOU."
BERT TELLS VIRGINIA HE DROPPED ELIZABETH OFF AT HOME
JUST 15 MINUTES EARLIER.
GOOD NIGHT.
THEN WATCHED HER OPEN THE SCREEN DOOR.
YOU SURE SHE DIDN'T STEP OUT WITH A FRIEND
OR IS ASLEEP OR ANYTHING? LITERALLY, LIKE, 20 MINUTES AGO.
SHE'S GOT TO BE UPSTAIRS SLEEPING.
- I'LL GO CHECK. - CHECK HER ROOM.
ELIZABETH?!
PERHAPS SHE'D SNUCK IN AND GONE STRAIGHT TO BED.
ELIZABETH?
BERT, SHE'S NOT HERE!
SHE, I MEAN, DIDN'T EVER COME IN THE DOOR.
IT MAKES NO SENSE TO HER MOTHER
THAT ELIZABETH WOULD HAVE STAYED OUTSIDE IN THE DARK
ON HER OWN.
SHE WOULDN'T GO OUTSIDE THE HOUSE OR ANYTHING
UNLESS SOMEBODY WAS WITH HER.
SHE WAS AFRAID OF THE DARK.
IT WAS VERY OUT OF CHARACTER FOR ELIZABETH.
I NEED POLICE, PLEASE.
MY DAUGHTER'S GONE MISSING.
A MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE.
WHERE'S MY CHILD?
SHE'S NOT HERE.
ELIZABETH WAS VERY MUCH A TYPICAL TEENAGER.
SHE COULD BE VERY MOUTHY AT TIMES,
BUT SHE ALSO HAD THIS...
SWEETNESS ABOUT HER.
AND SHE WAS REALLY BECOMING A YOUNG LADY.
SHE WAS ONE OF A KIND.
LOVED EVERYTHING TEENAGERS LOVED.
CELLPHONES, THE MAKEUP, THE -- BEING AROUND FAMILY.
SHE WAS VERY BUBBLY AND OUTGOING,
AND SHE LOVED SINGING AND DANCING.
AND SHE LOVED HER BROTHERS.
HER MAIN AMBITION WAS TO BE A NURSE,
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT SHE LOVED TO DO.
SHE LOVED TO HELP PEOPLE.
SHE WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE PERSONS
THAT LIGHTENED UP A ROOM WHEN SHE WALKED INTO IT.
LATER THAT NIGHT,
LUBBOCK COUNTY POLICE ARRIVE AT VIRGINIA'S HOME.
SHE'S NEVER USUALLY OUT THIS LATE --
SHE'S AFRAID OF THE DARK.
VIRGINIA TELLS THE RESPONDING OFFICERS
THAT HER DAUGHTER WAS BABYSITTING FOR BERT SALINAS,
WHO SHE'S KNOWN FOR YEARS.
SOMETHING'S HAPPENED.
HUMBERTO SALINAS IS A FAMILY FRIEND OF THE ENNENS,
AND THEY HAD BEEN FRIENDS FOR A LONG TIME.
A WORRIED BERT TELLS POLICE
THE LAST HE SAW OF ELIZABETH
WAS WHEN HE WATCHED HER WALK UP TO THE DOOR.
IT'S SO OUT OF CHARACTER FOR HER.
OFFICERS URGE ELIZABETH'S FAMILY
TO STAY CALM.
WE'RE FAMILY FRIENDS.
TEENAGERS, SOMETIMES THE JUDGMENT...
SHE COULD BE OUT WITH FRIENDS,
EVEN A BOYFRIEND.
OR SHE COULD HAVE RUN AWAY FROM HOME.
AFTER ALL, SHE WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TEEN
TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SEE IF SHE SHOWS UP IN THE MORNING
AND WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE.
VIRGINIA IS TOLD TO WAIT A DAY.
IF ELIZABETH IS STILL MISSING, THEN THEY'LL LOOK INTO IT.
IT SEEMS PLAUSIBLE ENOUGH TO THE POLICE.
OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU HEAR FROM HER,
JUST GIVE ME A CALL RIGHT AWAY.
BUT NOT TO ELIZABETH'S FAMILY.
SHE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT WITHOUT HER CELLPHONE.
YOU KNOW, IF A YOUNG PERSON PLANS TO RUN AWAY,
THEY DON'T JUST LEAVE HOME WITH NOTHING.
JUST THAT HEART-SINKING FEELING OF THIS WAS NOT NORMAL.
THE FOLLOWING DAY,
LUBBOCK P.D. GET A CALL FROM VIRGINIA ENNEN.
SHE SEEMED IN A PANIC --
AS A MOTHER, NEEDING ANSWERS.
VIRGINIA TELLS INVESTIGATORS
SHE WAITED, AS ORDERED,
AND SHE HAS NOW HEARD NOTHING FROM ELIZABETH
FOR OVER 12 HOURS.
VIRGINIA WAS A SCARED MOM.
CRUCIAL TIME HAS BEEN LOST.
OFFICERS NEED TO SPEAK AGAIN TO THE LAST PERSON
TO SEE ELIZABETH ENNEN...
BERT SALINAS,
THE CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND ELIZABETH WAS BABYSITTING FOR.
HE VIEWED ELIZABETH AS A DAUGHTER
AND VIRGINIA AS A VERY CLOSE FRIEND.
DADDY'S GONNA STEP OUT, OKAY?
BERT TELLS POLICE
THAT ELIZABETH CAME OVER AROUND 6:30 P.M.
HE WENT OUT WITH HIS WIFE AND HIS OLDER DAUGHTER
AND SPENT THE EVENING PLAYING BINGO.
READ IT, READ IT!
I WILL! TAKE CARE, MR. SALINAS.
- GOOD NIGHT. - OKAY.
BERT RETURNED TO THE MOTEL
AND GAVE ELIZABETH A RIDE HOME AT 1:00 A.M...
THANKS AGAIN FOR THE RIDE.
...DROPPING HER OFF AT 1:30.
- SAY GOODBYE TO MOMMY. - I WILL.
ON HIS WAY HOME,
HE REALIZED ELIZABETH HAD LEFT HER PURSE IN HIS CAR,
AND IMMEDIATELY DROVE BACK TO THE ENNENS'.
WHEN POLICE SPEAK TO BERT'S WIFE AND CHILDREN,
THEY CONFIRM HIS STORY.
THE LAST TIME BERT SALINAS SAW ELIZABETH
WAS WHEN HE DROPPED HER OFF.
BERT'S ACCOUNT CHECKS OUT.
BUT IT HAS NOW BEEN 24 HOURS SINCE THAT SIGHTING,
AND ONE DETAIL STICKS OUT MOST.
YOU HAD A 15-YEAR-OLD, ELIZABETH ENNEN,
NOT TAKE HER CELLPHONE WITH HER.
FOR A 15-YEAR-OLD,
THAT IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR.
OFFICERS BEGIN MAKING CALLS
TO ELIZABETH'S FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND NEIGHBORS.
IT'S USEFUL TO TALK TO EVERYONE
THAT MAY HAVE HAD CONTACT WITH ELIZABETH
BECAUSE THEY MAY PROVIDE ANOTHER AVENUE FOR US TO SEARCH.
WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN A REASON WHY SHE WANTED TO LEAVE?
WAS THERE RECENTLY AN ARGUMENT OR A FIGHT
BETWEEN HER AND HER MOTHER OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS?
WHAT ARE HER OTHER FRIENDS, CLOSE FRIENDS,
THAT SHE WOULD TRUST ENOUGH TO GO AND STAY WITH?
SUDDENLY, THE POLICE
GET A CALL FROM VIRGINIA THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING.
THERE WAS ONE OF HER FRIENDS AT SCHOOL
THAT SHE BELIEVED THAT SHE HAD SEEN HER WITH SOMEBODY
IN A WHITE CAR.
A YOUNG WOMAN MATCHING ELIZABETH'S DESCRIPTION
HAS BEEN SPOTTED IN A STATIONARY WHITE CAR
AT THE INTERSECTION OF 98th STREET
AND INDIANA AVENUE.
IT'S THEIR FIRST GOOD LEAD,
AND INVESTIGATORS RUSH TO THE SPOT 8 MILES AWAY.
THAT WAS A GREAT MOMENT OF HOPE.
IF SOMEBODY HAD SEEN HER, THEN SHE WAS OKAY.
WE COULD GET HER HOME.
THAT WAS WHAT WE CLUNG TO,
WAS JUST THE HOPE OF HER COMING HOME.
WHEN THEY GET THERE,
THERE IS NO SIGN OF ELIZABETH OR THE CAR.
BUT THEN INVESTIGATORS SPOT ANOTHER WAY
TO PROVE SHE WAS THERE.
A GAS STATION AT THE INTERSECTION
HAS A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA POINTED AT THE PUMPS
AND AT THE ROAD BEYOND.
HAS THAT CAMERA CAPTURED VIDEO OF ELIZABETH IN THE WHITE CAR?
WILL THIS SILENT WITNESS HELP POLICE FIND ELIZABETH ENNEN
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE?
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
ELIZABETH ENNEN IS MISSING.
POLICE HAVE OBTAINED VIDEO FROM A SECURITY CAMERA
AT A GAS STATION
WHERE ELIZABETH MIGHT HAVE BEEN SPOTTED.
IN A BACK ROOM, THEY CUE UP THE TAPE.
INVESTIGATORS ARE HOPING TO CATCH A GLIMPSE
OF ELIZABETH OR THE WHITE CAR SHE WAS SPOTTED IN.
THEY REWIND TO THE TIME
ON THE TAPE THAT MATCHES THE APPROXIMATE TIME
THE SIGHTING WAS CALLED IN.
THE QUALITY IS LOW.
THEY SEE A WHITE CAR PULL UP.
IT PARKS ALMOST OUT OF RANGE OF THE CAMERAS.
WHEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR OPENS, THEY ZOOM IN.
- BRING IT BACK. - BACK.
BUT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHO GETS OUT.
SIX MINUTES LATER...
...THE DOOR OPENS AGAIN
AND THE CAR DRIVES AWAY.
THEY PUNCH IN.
WILL THEY BE ABLE TO AT LEAST GET THE PLATES?
BUT THE VIDEO IS SO GRAINY THAT THEY CAN'T GET A GOOD LOOK
AT THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER.
THE TIP THAT SOUNDED SO PROMISING
AT FIRST HAS LED NOWHERE.
EVEN IF ELIZABETH IS IN THE WHITE CAR,
POLICE DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE'S GONE.
IT'S NOT WHAT ELIZABETH'S FAMILY WANTED TO HEAR.
JUST DEVASTATED AGAIN...
...BECAUSE THAT JUST MEANT
WE STILL DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS.
WE WERE LOST, AND WE FELT LOST.
THE POLICE ARE BACK TO SQUARE ONE,
BUT THESE SEASONED INVESTIGATORS HAVE A THEORY.
IN MY CAREER,
THE MAJORITY OF THE RUNAWAYS
ALWAYS WENT WHEN THEY WANTED TO BE WITH THEIR BOYFRIEND
OR GIRLFRIEND.
INVESTIGATORS NEED TO FIND OUT
IF ELIZABETH HAD A BOYFRIEND
WHO MIGHT HAVE WHISKED HER AWAY
WHILST EVERYONE THOUGHT SHE WAS EITHER ASLEEP OR BABYSITTING.
AT THE MENTION OF A BOYFRIEND,
ELIZABETH'S MOTHER, VIRGINIA,
AND FAMILY FRIEND, BERT, GO QUIET.
THEY REVEAL ELIZABETH DID HAVE A BOYFRIEND.
SHE WAS FRIENDS WITH HUMBERTO'S SON.
BERT'S 19-YEAR-OLD, HUMBERTO.
I KNOW THAT...
THEY KIND OF HAD A CRUSH ON EACH OTHER.
AGAIN, SHE WAS 15 YEARS OLD.
HE WAS 19 AT THE TIME.
AND THAT AGE DIFFERENCE
WAS TOO MUCH FOR ELIZABETH'S MOM.
THEY WERE TOLD AT THAT TIME
THAT THEY COULD NOT SEE EACH OTHER.
IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING
THAT ELIZABETH WAS UPSET OVER THIS.
THE POLICE NOW THINK THEY HAVE THIS CASE
NEARLY WRAPPED UP.
HUMBERTO AND ELIZABETH ARE MOST LIKELY OUT THERE TOGETHER.
SO AT THIS POINT,
WE JUST ASSUMED SHE WAS A RUNAWAY,
SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO STAY WITH HER OLDER BOYFRIEND.
THE THEORY RINGS TRUE WITH BERT.
HE BELIEVED THAT THEY HAD LEFT TOGETHER.
POLICE IMMEDIATELY START LOOKING INTO THE MAN
THEY THINK ELIZABETH HAS BEEN SECRETLY DATING
AGAINST HER FAMILY'S WISHES -- HUMBERTO SALINAS.
HUMBERTO SALINAS WAS OUR SUSPECT,
OUR PERSON OF INTEREST TO TRY TO LOCATE
AND GATHER INFORMATION FROM HIM
ON THE WHEREABOUTS OF ELIZABETH ENNEN.
A BACKGROUND CHECK REVEALS HUMBERTO IS ALREADY
IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW.
HE HAS THEFT CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
AND DESPITE MULTIPLE CALLS, HE'S NOT ANSWERING HIS PHONE.
HUMBERTO'S FATHER, BERT,
ALSO HAS A TROUBLING SUSPICION ABOUT HIS SON.
HE'S LIKE, "IF SHE MAKES HIS SON MAD,
IF SHE'S WITH HIM,
HE MIGHT DO SOMETHING TO HURT HER."
TIME TO PAY HUMBERTO A VISIT.
HUMBERTO ISN'T AT HIS REGISTERED ADDRESS
AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE HASN'T BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.
HUMBERTO SALINAS DIDN'T WANT TO BE LOCATED.
HE WOULD NOT RETURN PHONE CALLS TO EITHER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
OR TO HIS OWN FAMILY MEMBERS.
IT'S NOW CLEAR TO POLICE
THAT ELIZABETH IS IN HIDING WITH HER BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO,
WHICH MAKES THE CASE A RUNAWAY, NOT AN ABDUCTION.
HER FAMILY DOESN'T AGREE.
THE POLICE WERE TELLING US SHE WAS A RUNAWAY,
AND THE WHOLE TIME, WE KNEW IT WASN'T TRUE.
13 LONG DAYS PASS,
AND THERE'S STILL NO WORD FROM ELIZABETH.
POLICE HAVE MOVED ON TO OTHER BUSINESS,
BUT ELIZABETH'S FAMILY IS FRANTIC.
SHE DIDN'T RUN AWAY.
I KNOW SHE DIDN'T.
AND THEY CAN'T JUST SIT BY.
VIRGINIA WOULD GO PUT UP THESE FLYERS
UNTIL 2:00 OR 3:00 IN THE MORNING,
ALL OVER TOWN.
I MEAN, WE DID WHATEVER WE COULD.
AS A MOTHER, I WAS LOOKING FOR MY CHILD.
I WANTED MY BABY BACK.
WE BEGAN THIS INVESTIGATION...
BY NOW, THE LOCAL MEDIA
HAS PICKED UP THE STORY OF THE MISSING GIRL.
REALLY JUST BRIGHTENED UP EVERY...
15-YEAR-OLD ELIZABETH ENNEN
DISAPPEARED JANUARY 5th AT 1:30 IN THE MORNING
AFTER AN EVENING OF BABYSITTING FOR CLOSE FAMILY FRIENDS
AT THE CARRIAGE HOUSE MOTEL.
ELIZABETH'S FACE IS ON TV SCREENS AND NEWSPAPERS
ALL OVER WEST TEXAS.
BABY GIRL, IF YOU SEE THIS AND EVERYTHING,
PLEASE JUST COME HOME.
CALL MAMA.
OUR HOPES ARE RIGHT NOW THAT THE PUBIC CAN HELP US OUT,
AND IF ANYBODY KNOWS --
KNOWS WHERE SHE'S AT, IF ANYBODY SAW ANYTHING,
THEY CAN CALL THOSE TIPS IN TO US.
THE INCREASED MEDIA INTEREST
MEANS THE POLICE NOW START RECEIVING DOZENS OF TIPS.
MOST OF THESE GO NOWHERE.
BUT THEN ON DAY 15,
A TIP COMES IN THAT GETS THEIR ATTENTION.
A WOMAN SAYS SHE'S SEEN ELIZABETH ENNEN
AND HUMBERTO SALINAS
AT A DOLLAR STORE IN CENTRAL LUBBOCK.
INVESTIGATORS RUSH TO THE STORE.
WILL THIS SIGHTING CONFIRM THEIR BELIEF
THAT ELIZABETH AND HUMBERTO HAVE RUN AWAY TOGETHER?
THE MANAGER CONFIRMS A YOUNG WOMAN
AND HER BOYFRIEND WERE SEEN AT THE STORE,
AND NOTHING SEEMED OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
IT MADE US FEEL BETTER IN THE FACT THAT, OKAY,
IF SHE IS JUST GOING AROUND
AND SHOPPING OR DRIVING SOMEWHERE,
THEN MORE THAN LIKELY SHE IS A RUNAWAY AND NOT SOMEONE
WHO'S BEING KIDNAPPED OR HARMED IN ANY WAY.
BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY
FOR DETECTIVE WINTERS TO BE SURE IT WAS ELIZABETH.
WE WENT AND RETRIEVED THE VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM THE STORE.
IN THE OFFICE, THE MANAGER CUES UP THE TAPE
FROM THE INTERNAL SECURITY CAMERA.
HE PRESSES PLAY,
AND 10 MINUTES IN, THEY SPOT SOMETHING.
HAS ELIZABETH ENNEN FINALLY BEEN CAUGHT ON TAPE?
ELIZABETH ENNEN HAS NOW BEEN MISSING FOR 16 DAYS.
BUT POLICE THINK SHE MIGHT HAVE FINALLY BEEN SPOTTED
AT A LOCAL STORE.
FOR ANSWERS, INVESTIGATORS HAVE TURNED
TO THE EVER-RELIABLE WITNESS -- CCTV.
THERE'S THE MOMENTS WHEN YOU FIRST PUT THE DVD IN
THAT YOU ARE EXCITED,
BECAUSE BEING ABLE TO SPOT HER ON A VIDEO
WOULD REALLY BRING A LOT OF ANSWERS TO OUR INVESTIGATION.
THE STORE MANAGER PRESSES PLAY.
HE AND DETECTIVE WINTERS SCOUR EVERY FRAME
AROUND THE TIME ELIZABETH WAS SPOTTED,
HOPING TO SEE THE MISSING TEENAGER.
WINTERS LOOKS CLOSELY.
HE SPOTS A YOUNG GIRL ABOUT ELIZABETH'S AGE.
SHE'S WITH A MAN WHO COULD EASILY
BE HER BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO.
THEY JUMP TO THE NEXT CAMERA...
FOLLOWING THE PAIR THROUGH THE STORE...
HOPING FOR A GOOD LOOK AT THEIR FACES.
THE GIRL ON THE TAPE MATCHES ELIZABETH'S SIZE
AND BODY SHAPE.
EVEN HER HAIR IS THE RIGHT COLOR.
BUT THEN THE GIRL SUDDENLY TURNS
AND LOOKS STRAIGHT AT THE CAMERA,
AND THAT'S WHEN IT BECOMES CLEAR.
TURNED OUT NOT TO BE ELIZABETH ENNEN.
IT WAS A YOUNGER WOMAN WITH ANOTHER GENTLEMAN.
IT'S ANOTHER DEAD END.
IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING, HAVING TO CONTACT VIRGINIA
AND LETTING HER KNOW
THAT THERE WAS NO MERIT TO THAT CRIME-LINE TIP.
IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING, DISHEARTENING.
SO FAR, NONE OF THE SIGHTINGS
OF THE COUPLE HAVE COME TO ANYTHING.
THERE'S BEEN NO ACTIVITY ON ELIZABETH'S SOCIAL MEDIA,
AND SHE DOESN'T HAVE HER MOBILE PHONE WITH HER.
IT'S STARTING TO LOOK LESS
LIKE ELIZABETH AND HUMBERTO JUST RAN OFF TOGETHER.
YOU CAN DEAL WITH THE ROMEO AND JULIET TYPE SCENARIO
A LOT EASIER THAN DEALING WITH THE FACT
THAT YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN TAKEN.
AND ELIZABETH'S BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO,
IS STILL NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
POLICE SUSPECT THEY WILL NOT FIND ELIZABETH
UNTIL THEY FIND HUMBERTO.
SO THEY ESCALATE THE INVESTIGATION
AND BRING IN A KIDNAPPING EXPERT --
DETECTIVE REY MARTINEZ.
THE KIND OF CASES THAT I WORK ARE THE MAJOR CRIMES --
KIDNAPPINGS, MISSING PERSONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
HE WAS OUR NUMBER-ONE INVESTIGATOR.
HE WAS KNOWN AS SOMEONE
THAT COULD GET PEOPLE TO TALK TO HIM.
HEY, MR. SALINAS.
DETECTIVE MARTINEZ SPEAKS TO BERT SALINAS AGAIN.
PERHAPS HE WILL PROVIDE A NEW LEAD
IN THE SEARCH FOR HIS SON, HUMBERTO.
ANY TIME THERE'S A BIG AGE DIFFERENCE,
IT'S CERTAINLY A RED FLAG.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU SEE YOUR SON?
DETECTIVE, I HONESTLY DON'T SEE HIM OFTEN.
MARTINEZ DISCOVERS THAT HUMBERTO
HAS RECENTLY FALLEN IN WITH A BAD CROWD,
AND HE OFTEN DOESN'T COME HOME FOR DAYS
AT A TIME.
IT WAS A CONCERN,
AND THOSE THINGS ARE USUALLY LOOKED AT VERY CLOSELY.
BERT GIVES POLICE
A LIST OF FRIENDS HIS SON, HUMBERTO,
COULD BE STAYING WITH,
AND OFFICERS HIT EVERY HOUSE ON THE LIST.
I'M LOOKING FOR HUMBERTO.
FINALLY, A YOUNG WOMAN TELLS POLICE
SHE SAW HUMBERTO SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE.
AND SHE KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW.
HE'S OFF, DONATING BLOOD,
OR THAT'S WHAT HE TOLD HIS LADY FRIEND.
WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT SALINAS THE III
WAS AT THE PLASMA CENTER, WE DID GET EXCITED.
WE THOUGHT MAYBE WE WERE GETTING TO THE END
OF THIS INVESTIGATION.
POLICE RACE TO THE CLINIC
WHERE HUMBERTO SUPPOSEDLY IS GIVING BLOOD.
ALL WE WERE WANTING TO DO IS LOCATE HER
AND REUNITE HER WITH HER MOTHER.
THEY ARRIVE JUST IN TIME
AND SPOT HUMBERTO AT THE CLINIC.
DISPATCH!
EYES ON SALINAS.
WE'RE GONNA BRING HIM IN.
IT'S TIME TO FIND OUT
EXACTLY WHAT HE KNOWS ABOUT ELIZABETH'S DISAPPEARANCE.
WE'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
YOU COME WITH US.
TIME FOR DETECTIVE MARTINEZ
TO GO TO WORK ON HIS SUSPECT.
HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
WHEN I INTERVIEWED HIM, I WAS TRYING TO GAUGE TO SEE
IF AT ANY POINT HE WOULD BECOME EMOTIONAL
OR DEFENSIVE
ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ELIZABETH ENNEN.
THEY GRILL HIM FOR HOURS.
DURING THE INTERVIEW, WE ASKED HIM
ABOUT TRYING TO CONFIRM HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ELIZABETH.
WHEN THE LAST TIME SHE AND HE WERE TOGETHER.
LAST TIME THEY SPOKE ON THE PHONE.
HUMBERTO SWEARS UP AND DOWN
HE HAS NO IDEA WHERE ELIZABETH IS.
HE SAYS HE BROKE THINGS OFF
BECAUSE HIS FATHER DIDN'T WANT HIM TO HAVE ANYTHING
TO DO WITH AN UNDERAGE GIRL.
AND HE ADVISED US THE LAST TIME HE SPOKE WITH HER
WAS OVER THE PHONE
JUST THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING.
HUMBERTO TELLS INVESTIGATORS
THAT AFTER THAT PHONE CALL,
HE NEVER SAW OR SPOKE TO HER AGAIN.
FELT LIKE HE WAS VERY CALM AND COOPERATIVE.
MY PARTNER AND I BOTH GAUGED ABOUT HIM
THAT HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH.
UP TO THIS POINT, POLICE BELIEVED
THAT ONCE THEY FOUND HUMBERTO, THEY WOULD FIND ELIZABETH.
BUT HUMBERTO'S STORY ADDS UP.
THEIR MOST EXPERIENCED INTERROGATOR BELIEVES HIM,
AND THERE'S NOT A SHRED OF EVIDENCE.
THEIR BEST LEAD TURNS OUT TO BE A DEAD END.
BUT NOW THEY ARE BACK TO SQUARE ONE.
IF ELIZABETH DIDN'T RUN OFF WITH HUMBERTO, WHERE DID SHE GO?
DETECTIVE MARTINEZ
REVISITS THE TIMELINE OF THE NIGHT ELIZABETH DISAPPEARED.
IS IT POSSIBLE ELIZABETH REALIZED
SHE HAD LEFT HER PURSE BACK AT THE MOTEL
WHERE SHE WAS BABYSITTING AND WALKED BACK FOR IT HERSELF?
POLICE START TRACING THE ROUTE SHE COULD HAVE TAKEN,
LOOKING FOR CLUES ALONG THE WAY.
POLICE ARE CONCERNED.
DID ELIZABETH COME BACK TO THE MOTEL, ALONE,
LATE AT NIGHT?
THEY START QUESTIONING GUESTS
ABOUT WHETHER THEY SAW HER THAT NIGHT.
ARE THEY NOW LOOKING AT SOMETHING MORE OMINOUS
THAN JUST A TEENAGE RUNAWAY?
THEN INVESTIGATORS SPOT SOMETHING
THAT GIVES THEM THE LEAD THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
THERE ARE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AT THE MOTEL...
FOUR OF THEM.
THE FOOTAGE FROM ALL FOUR CAMERAS
IS SENT BACK TO THE STATION.
OKAY, LET'S START WITH THE FIRST ONE.
POLICE ARE ABOUT TO GET THEIR FIRST GLIMPSE
OF ELIZABETH SINCE SHE WENT MISSING.
OKAY, PAUSE THAT.
POLICE HAVE RETRIEVED CCTV FOOTAGE FROM THE MOTEL
WHERE 15-YEAR-OLD ELIZABETH ENNEN
WAS BABYSITTING THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED.
THE CCTV VIDEO
FROM THE CARRIAGE MOTEL IS CUED UP AND READY TO GO.
WE ALL WATCHED IT. WE ALL SAW IT TOGETHER.
WE HAD IT ON A MONITOR.
OKAY, JUST PLAY THAT, PLAY THE TAPE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL CAMERAS TO CHOOSE FROM,
AND THEY START WITH THE ONE POSITIONED
JUST OUTSIDE THE SALINAS' ROOM, ROOM 113.
THEY CUE UP TO AROUND THE TIME BERT SAID ELIZABETH ARRIVED.
THE FOOTAGE IS LOW QUALITY
AND ONLY SHOWS A FRAME EVERY FOUR SECONDS.
FOR 10 MINUTES, THEY WATCH AN EMPTY CORRIDOR.
THEN AT 6:18 P.M.,
THEY SPOT A FIGURE WALK TOWARDS THE CAMERA.
THEY ZOOM IN.
I DON'T KNOW. I CAN'T MAKE THAT OUT.
THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY HIM,
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE SOMEONE BEHIND HIM.
OKAY, KEEP PLAYING.
THEY STEP FORWARD A SINGLE FRAME.
- THAT'S ELIZABETH. - YEAH, 100%.
THE VIDEO IS OF POOR QUALITY.
BUT IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH
WHERE YOU COULD RECOGNIZE IT WAS ELIZABETH ENNEN
ON THAT VIDEO.
POLICE FINALLY HAVE A GLIMPSE
OF THE MISSING TEENAGER, THE FIRST POSITIVE I.D.
SINCE THE SEARCH BEGAN.
THE MAN WITH HER IS FAMILY FRIEND, BERT SALINAS.
THE TAPE SHOWS THAT JUST AS BERT SAID,
ELIZABETH ARRIVED AROUND 6:30 TO BABYSIT.
25 MINUTES LATER, BERT, HIS WIFE,
AND DAUGHTER, HEAD OUT FOR A NIGHT OUT --
JUST AS BERT HAD TOLD POLICE.
I FELT MORE AT EASE AT THAT POINT,
THINKING THE VIDEO WOULD BE ANOTHER STEP
WE COULD CROSS OFF TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP
AND EVENTUALLY FIND HER.
KEEP PLAYING.
POLICE HOPE FOOTAGE FROM THE NEXT CAMERA,
POSITIONED IN THE HOTEL LOBBY,
CAN TELL THEM MORE.
AGAIN, THEY SCROLL TO AROUND THE TIME ELIZABETH ARRIVED.
A COUPLE OF MINUTES IN,
THE POLICE SEE A FIGURE ON THE TAPE,
A WOMAN THEY THINK THEY RECOGNIZE.
DRESSED IN BLUE JEANS
AND A WHITE TOP, SHE LOOKS LIKE THE SAME GIRL
WHO TOLD THEM ELIZABETH'S BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO,
WAS AT THE BLOOD CENTER
WHEN THEY CAME LOOKING FOR HIM.
SHE'S COMING DOWN THE STAIRS WITH A MAN WITH HIS HOOD UP.
OKAY, PAUSE THAT.
THE MAN IS ABOUT THE SAME SIZE
AS ELIZABETH'S BOYFRIEND, HUMBERTO.
COULD IT BE HIM?
I CAN'T MAKE OUT HIS FACE.
WHY DON'T WE ZOOM IT IN?
BUT THE MAN IS DELIBERATELY HIDING HIS FACE
AND THE VIDEO IS SO GRAINY THAT THEY CAN'T SEE WHO IT IS.
IF THIS IS ELIZABETH'S BOYFRIEND,
HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB HIDING HIS IDENTITY.
BUT THERE ARE THREE OTHER CAMERAS IN THE MOTEL.
AND THIS HOODED MYSTERY MAN MIGHT SHOW UP ON ONE OF THEM.
DETECTIVES HAVE NOW BEEN TRAWLING THROUGH FOOTAGE
FOR HOURS.
SO LET'S CARRY ON.
OKAY, FOCUS IN ON THAT AREA.
THERE ARE SEVERAL FALSE ALARMS,
BUT NO SIGN OF THE MAN
WHO LOOKS LIKE ELIZABETH'S MYSTERY BOYFRIEND.
THEN AT AROUND 10:45 P.M.,
ON THE CORRIDOR CAMERA, THEY SPOT SOMETHING UNUSUAL.
THEY BACK THE TAPE UP AND PLAY IT AGAIN.
IT'S BERT SALINAS, HEADING BACK TO HIS ROOM
IN THE CARRIAGE MOTEL, THE ROOM
WHERE ELIZABETH ENNEN IS BABYSITTING HIS TWO DAUGHTERS.
WHAT'S HE DOING BACK SO EARLY?
THAT'S STRANGE.
IT'S 10:45, BUT HE TOLD POLICE
HE DIDN'T GET BACK TO THE ROOM UNTIL 11:30.
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO HAS JUST CAUGHT BERT SALINAS IN A LIE.
INVESTIGATORS WATCH THE CAMERA COVERING THE CORRIDOR
OUTSIDE ROOM 113 FOR ANOTHER HOUR.
NOBODY COMES IN OR OUT.
FINALLY, AT 11:47 P.M., THEY SPOT SOMETHING.
IN THE VIDEO,
AS I'M WATCHING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME,
YOU SEE...ELIZABETH
WALK OUT RATHER FAST FROM THE ROOM THEY'RE AT.
BUT ELIZABETH IS NOT ALONE.
SHE'S FOLLOWED BY SOMEONE.
IT'S BERT SALINAS.
IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S RUNNING AFTER HER.
WHAT'S HE UP TO?
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
DETECTIVE WATCH AS ELIZABETH HURRIES OFF CAMERA,
FOLLOWED BY BERT.
SHE ONLY APPEARS IN A SINGLE FRAME,
BUT THAT MEANS FOUR SECONDS HAVE PASSED,
AND IN THAT TIME, SHE REACHES THE END OF THE CORRIDOR.
SHE'S RUNNING,
AND IT LOOKS VERY MUCH
LIKE SHE'S RUNNING FROM BERT SALINAS.
FROM THIS CAMERA ANGLE,
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE HEADING.
TO FIND OUT, INVESTIGATORS MUST KEEP SCOURING EVERY FRAME
OF THE MOTEL'S SECURITY FOOTAGE.
LOOK, LOOK!
AND THE NEXT THING THEY SEE WILL BE HORRIFYING.
ALL OF US IN THERE ARE JUST IN DISBELIEF
OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
DETECTIVES ARE WATCHING SECURITY FOOTAGE
FROM THE MOTEL WHERE 15-YEAR-OLD ELIZABETH ENNEN
WAS BABYSITTING THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED.
INVESTIGATORS HAVE JUST WATCHED ELIZABETH RUN FROM THE ROOM,
FOLLOWED BY FAMILY FRIEND, BERT SALINAS.
KEEP PLAYING.
MOMENTS LATER, THEY WALK BACK.
HE IS HOLDING HER ARM.
SHE DOES NOT SEEM PLEASED TO BE GOING BACK TO THE ROOM
THAT THEY CAME FROM.
JUST EIGHT MINUTES LATER,
ELIZABETH ENNEN AND BERT EXIT ROOM 113 AGAIN
AND WALK DOWN THE CORRIDOR.
DETECTIVES SWITCH BETWEEN THE MOTEL'S CAMERAS,
TRYING TO TRACK THE PAIR.
LOOK, LOOK, THAT'S HER.
SHE'S RUNNING AWAY.
THIS TIME, THEY NOTICE
THAT ELIZABETH IS HOLDING SOMETHING IN HER HANDS.
THEY PUNCH IN AND TRY TO MAKE OUT WHAT IT IS.
THEY ENLARGE THE SHOT.
FINALLY, THEY SEE WHAT IT IS.
ELIZABETH IS HOLDING HER SHOES.
IT LOOKS LIKE SHE HAD TO LEAVE ROOM 113 IN A HURRY.
I DON'T KNOW IF EXCITING IS THE RIGHT WORD,
BUT WE WERE EXCITED FOR THE FIRST TIME
TO HAVE SOME CONCRETE EVIDENCE.
AND JUST A FEW MINUTES LATER ON THE SAME LOBBY CAMERA,
THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT CHILLS THESE HARDENED DETECTIVES
TO THE BONE.
SALINAS IS TRYING TO WALK ELIZABETH OUT.
AND SHE TURNS IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION
AND RUNS TOWARDS A DIFFERENT DOOR
THAN WHERE HE WAS GOING.
AS HE TURNS AROUND AND KIND OF CORNERS HER INTO THE CORNER,
THAT WAS VERY TELLING FOR US THAT SHE'S TERRIFIED.
ELIZABETH SEEMS TO BE COWERING IN THE CORNER
AS BERT APPROACHES HER.
HE TAKES HER BY THE ARM
AND WALKS OUT OF CAMERA RANGE TO THE PARKING LOT.
WE KEPT REWINDING IT,
AND YOU COULD SEE THE INTERACTION
WHERE SHE PULLS AWAY FROM HIM.
SHE WAS BEING...DEFENSIVE,
TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM HIM.
IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES.
IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS
THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE NEAR HIM
AND THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY TRYING TO CONTROL HER.
IT'S CLEAR THAT SOMETHING VERY TROUBLING
HAPPENED IN ROOM 113,
SOMETHING BERT NEVER TOLD POLICE.
HE TOOK ELIZABETH FROM HIS ROOM THAT NIGHT
AND WALKED HER OUT TOWARDS THE PARKING LOT.
DETECTIVES SEND A PATROL CAR OUT TO THE CARRIAGE MOTEL
AND PICK UP BERT SALINAS.
RIGHT HERE, HAVE A SEAT.
RIGHT OVER THERE.
FROM THE VERY ONSET OF THE TIME THAT I MET HIM,
HE ALWAYS REFERRED TO ELIZABETH
AS BEING LIKE HIS DAUGHTER.
AND I TOLD HIM, I SAID, "IS THAT REALLY THE TRUTH?"
BERT DENIES ANYTHING UNTOWARD HAPPENED THAT NIGHT...
UNTIL DETECTIVE MARTINEZ TELLS HIM
THEY HAVE IT ALL ON TAPE.
HE SAT THERE, JUST LOOKING DOWN.
AND I ASKED HIM,
AFTER A SHORT TIME, I SAID,
"YOU WANT TO TELL ME WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?"
AND HE KEPT LOOKING DOWN AND STARTED CRYING.
THEN HE TOLD ME THAT... I WAS RIGHT,
THAT HE HAD KILLED ELIZABETH.
AND HE SAID, "I WANT TO...
I'LL TELL YOU WHERE SHE'S AT."
BERT GUIDES THE POLICE TO A BROKEN-DOWN PART
OF THE CITY THAT'S DOTTED WITH ABANDONED BUILDINGS.
THERE WASN'T MUCH CONVERSATION.
WE ACTUALLY DROVE DOWN THAT DIRT ROAD
FOR, IT SEEMED LIKE, A VERY LONG TIME.
AND I WAS BEGINNING TO QUESTION IF WE WERE ON THE RIGHT ROAD.
BERT HAS GUIDED THEM BEHIND A SHED.
ELIZABETH ENNEN HAS BEEN STRANGLED TO DEATH.
HUMBERTO SALINAS IS TAKEN TO JAIL.
A PARENT'S WORST NIGHTMARE
IS TO BE TOLD THEIR CHILD IS GONE.
WE DROVE TO VIRGINIA'S HOME,
AND IT WAS A QUIET RIDE.
WHEN THE DETECTIVES SHOWED UP...
THERE WERE THREE OF THEM.
AND ELIZABETH WASN'T IN THE CAR.
THEY GOT OUT AND COME UP THERE
TO THE PORCH WHERE WE WERE AT.
AND I JUST --
I STARTED BACKING AWAY FROM THEM.
BECAUSE, I MEAN, IN MY HEART,
I KNEW WHAT THEY WERE GONNA SAY.
I COLLAPSED ON THE PORCH,
AND I JUST KEPT ON, "NO, I'M SUPPOSED TO GO FIRST,
NOT MY DAUGHTER."
NO HOLLYWOOD MOVIE CAN EVER...
SHOW THE TRUE EMOTION OF THAT MOTHER'S SCREAM.
DETECTIVE MARTINEZ SUSPECTS
THAT BERT SALINAS CAME HOME DRUNK
AND MADE A PASS AT ELIZABETH.
STOP, STOP!
HIS MOTIVATION...
I BELIEVE THAT WHATEVER ELIZABETH ENNEN
WOULD HAVE REVEALED TO HER MOTHER,
HE WAS GONNA SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.
I THINK, IN HINDSIGHT,
WHEN HE GRABBED HER FROM THE VIDEO,
I THINK HE HAD IT IN HIS MIND
AT THAT POINT HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO KILL HER.
AND I THINK HE MADE THAT DECISION AT THAT TIME
AND DID THAT SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
IT'S JUST HER SMILE... JUST LIT UP A ROOM.
SHE WAS JUST SO PRECIOUS.
ON APRIL 5, 2012, BERT SALINAS II
PLEADS GUILTY TO CAPITAL MURDER
AND IS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON
WITHOUT PAROLE.
YOU TEACH YOUR KIDS TO BE AWARE OF STRANGERS.
BUT WHEN IT'S SOMEBODY YOU KNOW
AND YOU TRUST, YOUR KIDS TRUST THEM.
IT'S LIKE THEY'RE THE LAST ONES
YOU WOULD EVER DREAM
IT WOULD BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING SO HORRIBLE.
WITHOUT CCTV, NO ONE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED IT.
AT ONE POINT IT SEEMED
LIKE SHE WAS LOOKING AT THE VIDEO CAMERA,
AND JUST THE LOOK IN HER FACE BEING,
"MAMA, I KNEW IT."
IT WAS LIKE SHE WAS ASKING FOR SOMEBODY TO HELP HER.
JUST THE LOOK ON HER FACE.